Cooperation for democracy: Police and university unite forces against forgetting!

Cooperation for democracy: Police and university unite forces against forgetting!

On September 25, 2025, a significant cooperation agreement was signed between the Justus Liebig University of Gießen and the Central Hesse Police Headquarters. This initiative, which goes by the name “Alliance for Democracy”, aims to promote basic democratic values ​​and strengthen historical-political education. The central players in this agreement include Prof. Dr. Katharina Lorenz, President of the JLU, Torsten Krückemeier, Police Chief of the Central Hesse Police Headquarters (PPMH), and Prof. Dr. Sascha Feuchert, head of the Center for Holocaust Literature (AHL) at the JLU. The agreement is one of the first measures intended to significantly deepen the partnership between these institutions. uni-giessen.de reports that the cooperation aims at a wide range of educational and memorial work.

Particularly noteworthy is the shared responsibility that both institutions emphasize. Torsten Krückemeier says that the police must learn from history and actively defend democratic values. The training work for police officers and teachers, which is intended to be enriched through cooperation with the AHL, is also based on these principles. The importance of this cooperation is also emphasized by Hesse's Science Minister Timon Gremmels, who sees it as an expression of a basic democratic understanding.

Planned activities and goals

The alliance includes specific activities aimed at deepening knowledge of one's own history and promoting dialogue on relevant historical topics. Annual excursions to Łódź and the Auschwitz memorial are planned, among other things. These places prove to be important sites of remembrance, as Łódź was the second largest ghetto in Poland during the Nazi era. A previous visit in May 2025 left a lasting impression on Police Chief Krückemeier, which illustrates the importance of these excursions. Loud giessener- Allgemeine.de The cooperation also aims to initiate interdisciplinary courses on democracy education, culture of remembrance and human rights.

In addition, contemporary witness discussions, workshops and public lectures are planned. These formats are intended not only to convey educational content, but also to promote interactive exchange. An essential part of the collaboration is the exchange of interns and employees, which is intended to promote mutual learning between the institutions. Police Commissioner Benjamin Schneider is named as the contact person for the project and emphasizes the relevance of the AHL excursion to examine the role of the police during the Holocaust.

Memory and responsibility

The “Alliance for Democracy” initiative draws on several previously held events, including Krückemeier’s participation in a wreath-laying ceremony in Auschwitz in 2024, which made a lasting impression on him. These personal experiences underline the importance of the culture of remembrance in the context of police training. Hesse's Interior Minister Roman Poseck also speaks out in favor of keeping memories alive and emphasizes the need to defend and actively shape democracy.

In summary, it can be said that this cooperation agreement is not only a response to historical pressures, but also represents an important step towards reflective and responsible police work. Exchange and education in the spirit of democratic values ​​are the focus of the alliance.